I have used H&R Block software for many years and have always found it to be easy to use and very robust. In-program help and tips are very useful and on-line help when needed has been prompt and thorough.
I’ve been using the software for 15 years. Needs one improvement— give the option to choose the standard deduction from the start. I’ve never been able to itemize but the software makes me go through all the entry anyhow. I don’t want to waste my time entering data just to be told I should choose the standard deduction when I already know that’s what I need and want to do. I could have my returns done in 15 minutes instead of 90. Please make this update H&R!!!!
Overall, H&R Block got me through taxes, but I think they fell short on the State Level, and, especially, things from the state data that I needed for Federal taxes. I had to spend a lot of time on my own to figure out how to apply Publication 525 Recoveries data regarding "special situation" of my state taxes and refund (not all that ''special''). It was complicated, and I felt that the H&R Block software had all the data it needed to figure this out for me, but it didn't. And it didn't help much in guiding me to what I needed to know. I felt H&R Block really dropped the ball on this one! Further, as I mentioned above, their California State software is weaker than it should be, but better than no software.
As usual, most everything was fine. The one exception was the small W2 entry. When I answered the last quetion about uncollected SS and Medicare amounts, the program went into an endless loop . Only way I could get my computer to do anything at that point was to shut it down and rebut. Did this twice and then bypassed the last question and continues on.